Philosophy

"With Harriet Taylor's name at last joined to that of her beloved husband John Stuart Mill as the co-author of this timeless book, we get to see On Liberty even more clearly as the complex and nuanced text it has always been. The greatest plea for individual intellectual freedom ever penned, with its insistence that no idea should be left unexamined nor any protest left unheard, it is also implicitly a document of progressive reform: the political emancipation of women is as much a natural consequence of Mill and Taylor's view of liberty as is the need for unimpeded discussion of all political questions. The right to open debate leads inevitably to the possibility of undreamt-of reform. Set free from too narrow a 'libertarian' or ‘utilitarian’ understanding, we can once again embrace On Liberty as one of the greatest heralds of the open society we possess, and as a foundational two-headed document of the matchless moral adventure of liberal democracy."
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker critic-at-large and author of A Thousand Small Sanities: The Moral Adventure of Liberalism (Basic Books, 2019)

This volume gathers, for the first time, Mill’s most important writings from across his long career on one of the principal subjects of his life: the nature and reform of representative government. By doing so, it sheds new light on Mill’s views about democracy, constitutional structure, parliamentary government, class conflict, the relation between elites and the people, and many other key themes of his political thought. It includes an extensive original Introduction situating Mill’s work in the context of the politics of nineteenth-century Britain, and connects his thought to questions that still confront liberal states today.

“Thanks to Gregory Conti, we finally have a nearly complete collection of J. S. Mill’s writings on representative government. This volume shows us the development of the theory of electoral representation and the ideal dialogue Mill entertained with the European protagonists of representative institutions—a text of  documents and theoretical reflections central to understanding the history of our present.”
—Nadia Urbinati, Kyriakos Tsakopoulos Professor of Political Theory, Columbia University

The Art of Assemblage: Studies on Plato and Aristotle is a collection of twelve essays—six on Plato and six on Aristotle—written by an international group of eminent scholars. In recognition of the work of author, translator, and distinguished professor of philosophy C. D. C. Reeve, the essays address a wide range of topics—ethics and politics, poetics and rhetoric, and metaphysics—reflecting the breadth of Reeve's own scholarship. They exemplify how the "art of assemblage"—that is, the art of interpreting ancient Greek texts—can address some of the most intriguing questions posed by Plato and Aristotle. Together, they reveal continuities between Platonic and Aristotelian thought.

“Readings in Korean Confucian Philosophy is a masterfully edited and meticulously annotated volume that illuminates the works of eight major Korean Confucian thinkers, rendering complex texts into precise and elegant English. Ivanhoe and Wang’s superb, years-long scholarly dedication makes this book an invaluable resource for anyone engaged with Korean thought, East Asian philosophy, and intellectual history.”
—Jungwon Kim, King Sejong Associate Professor of Korean Studies, Columbia University

“With remarkable clarity and insight, Sven Nyholm guides readers through the central moral issues and questions raised by artificial intelligence—from alignment and accountability to moral status and human flourishing. Refusing both hype and moral panic, the book offers a steady and humane account of how traditions in moral philosophy can inform and guide technological innovation even as AI compels us to reexamine what it means to think and act ethically. An exceptionally accessible work that speaks equally to students, scholars, and general readers alike.” 
—David J. Gunkel, Northern Illinois University; author of The Machine Question: Critical Perspectives on AI, Robots and Ethics and Person, Thing, Robot: A Moral and Legal Ontology for the 21st Century and Beyond

Introducing Ethics takes us through the history of Western ethics, beginning with Socrates’s attempt to apply reason to questions about what it is to be a good person and what we ought to do. We then examine three leading moral theories—John Stuart Mill’s utilitarianism, Immanuel Kant’s deontology, and Aristotle’s character ethics—as if they were a large-scale Socratic dialogue, where each raises objections to and builds on the others. We end with two twentieth-century challenges to Socrates’s enterprise in Carol Gilligan’s feminism and JeanPaul Sartre’s existentialism.

“Lee Braver’s Introducing Ethics is a fantastic introduction to the field. Braver examines some of the most influential pictures of morality that we have inherited from the history of philosophy. In doing so, he highlights the strengths and weaknesses of those moral pictures, leaving the reader to decide for themselves what they think constitutes a good life. Introducing Ethics will be an invaluable resource to students, first-time teachers of ethics, and anyone interested in learning about the nature of morality and human flourishing.”
—Benjamin Berger, University of Hartford

Plato’s Seventh Letter is one of the most important and controversial documents of ancient philosophy, particularly in terms of its epistemology and social and political context. James Redfield’s study of the letter includes a beautiful new translation of the text, an incisive Introduction, and a full commentary along with relevant chapters of Plutarch’s Life of Dion.

“For a long time, the Seventh Letter has cried out for an interpreter to fully appraise its importance and richness of meaning. It has found that commentator in James M. Redfield. This elegant, insight-filled volume—augmented by crucial chapters of Plutarch’s Life of Dion, in which the scale of Plato’s Syracusan debacle becomes inescapably clear—will help readers see Plato’s life, and read his dialogues, in a completely new light.”
—James Romm, James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics, Bard College

Written at the height of Kant’s philosophical maturity, the six essays included in this volume reflect his concern with issues of critical interest to his contemporaries—and to us. Their major themes include the nature and course of human history, the role of war in the history of people and nations and the principles on which lasting peace among them might be built, and the role of human reason and freedom in shaping the world in which we find ourselves.

These essays on politics, history, and moral practice build on and illustrate the consequences of Kant’s philosophy in his three Critical masterpieces and provide an important key for understanding that watershed in historical theory between the Enlightenment and nineteenth-century idealistic theories. With entirely new typesetting, this updated edition of Ted Humphrey’s 1983 translation restores inadvertent textual elisions, modifies translations of some significant terms, makes idiomatic adjustments in the English throughout, updates the Bibliography, and clarifies the conceptual and argumentative relationships among the essays.

Aristotle: Complete Works is a monumental achievement, the first new English-language translations of the Aristotelian corpus since 1954. Edited by C. D. C. Reeve and Pavlos Kontos, this beautifully produced two-volume cloth-bound set with smyth-sewn bindings aims for consistent translation of key terms across the works and includes a general Introduction by Christof Rapp, Catalogs of Aristotle’s Writings, an Annotated Index of People and Places, and an extensive Annotated Glossary of Terms. 

“Written in 1940, and available here for the first time ever in English, Samuel Ramos’ Toward a New Humanism is a prescient discussion of humanism, technology, mortality, and the tensions between the national and the universal. In addition to Sanchez’s thoughtful introduction, his superb translation of Ramos’s text, and the informative editorial notes running throughout, this volume is further enriched by the inclusion of translations of other, earlier, essays—written by Ramos and other influential philosophers from the period--on related topics as well as translations of assessments of Ramos’s ‘new humanism' by other leading philosophers in mid-century Mexico.  More than eighty-five years after its original publication--and in this era of renewed global conflicts—Ramos’s call for a profound rethinking and reshaping of modern culture and society is as timely as when it was written, and Sanchez is to be commended for making this important text available for a new generation of readers.”

—Manuel Vargas and Clinton Tolley, Mexican Philosophy Lab, UC San Diego

This volume provides a selection of the most philosophically relevant passages from Pascal's Pensées in Roger Ariew's updated translations. Also included are a chronology of Pascal's life and times, a fascinating history of the text of the Pensées, and a selected bibliography.

"Doug Campbell lays out a comprehensive and fair-minded account of both the benefits and the drawbacks of social media for our era. He attaches these evaluations to both the individual and to society as a whole. The case studies are compelling and exhibit a keen awareness of the current moment. How should we live, now that many or even most of us are at least partially online? Campbell addresses this question from the point of view of privacy, attention, politics, misinformation, online ostracism, online friendship, and the potential benefits of simply quitting social media or at least some of its more pernicious platforms. Along the way, Campbell ties his discussions back to philosophical concerns raised by Plato, Aristotle, and Xunzi, among others. He also connects his discussion with recent work in feminist philosophy. And each chapter concludes with a succinct definition of key terms and suggested case studies and discussion topics that will engage students at all levels. An impressive accomplishment, and one that deserves a place in the classroom." 
—Mark Alfano, Macquarie University

Human knowledge is fundamentally social. Most of the processes by which we acquire and evaluate information in everyday life—giving and receiving testimony, identifying experts, and relying on them—involve whole communities of people. The successful use of knowledge to solve problems is thus most often a collective achievement. Likewise, the failure to leverage knowledge is seldom the fault of a single individual. 

Beginning each chapter with a real-life example, Applied Epistemology demonstrates how various concepts of knowledge relate to problems arising in practical contexts. From trusting testimony and recognizing experts, to acknowledging bias and resisting propaganda, Applied Epistemology teaches us how to use theories of knowledge to navigate our complex world.

The Hackett Introduction to Medical Ethics addresses key debates and analyzes prominent ethical perspectives on clinical medicine, healthcare policy, and human experimentation. Using numerous examples and case studies, Altman and Coe apply value theory to contemporary medical practice and trace the repercussions for such philosophical issues as autonomy, death, and justice. The book invites a range of readers to investigate urgent moral questions at the intersection of the body and social institutions. Free online resources include PowerPoint lecture slides, a sample syllabus, links to case studies (to help facilitate small group discussion and apply theoretical concepts), and more.

"With remarkable breadth and depth, Altman and Coe provide up-to-date discussions of both classic bioethical issues (such as informed consent and reproductive technologies) and more recent developments in the field (such as relational autonomy and the impact of racial disparities on healthcare). The Hackett Introduction to Medical Ethics balances contemporary theory with clinical examples and cases in ways that will benefit both students and professionals in philosophy, bioethics, and healthcare."
—Jamie Watson, Cleveland Clinic Center for Bioethics and Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

An Introduction to Utilitarianism: From Theory to Practice is a state-of-the-art text, simultaneously accessible to introductory students and informative for more advanced readers. Two key features set it apart. First, its comprehensive coverage of the arguments for and against utilitarianism is unparalleled. Second, it takes seriously the practical implications of utilitarianism for how we should live, with a particular emphasis on utilitarianism's impartial beneficence and its focus on effectiveness. Guided by the conviction that practical ethics is more about how best to use our limited time and resources than which victims to hit with trolleys in thought experiments, its practical upshots should prove amenable to utilitarians and non-utilitarians alike.

"Faithful to the original Danish text and eminently readable, Jech's translation of Fear and Trembling admirably communicates the literary qualities of Kierkegaard's text, as well as his occasional fits of inspiration. Jech displays an unusual sensitivity not only to the literary/linguistic qualities of Kierkegaard’s prose, but also to his (often realized) aspirations to philosophical precision. As presented by Jech, Kierkegaard is not simply a gifted writer and speculative theologian dabbling in philosophy, but a philosopher concerned to limn the optimal role of philosophical reflection, and to do so experimentally, especially with respect to matters of morality and faith. The translation is furthermore supplemented by very helpful explanatory notes that convey Kierkegaard’s own erudition and the multiple influences upon his thinking. The Historical Glossary will become a valuable reference tool for students and scholars of Kierkegaard’s writings. It is likely to play a welcome role in encouraging an improved understanding of what Kierkegaard means when he employs his idiosyncratic categories, allusions, and vocabulary." —Daniel Conway, Professor of Philosophy and Humanities, Texas A&M University

Seeking what he describes as "the utmost limit of the knowledge our natural reason can achieve . . . concerning the True Existence [that is God]," John Duns Scotus (1265–1308) offers in this treatise one of philosophy’s most rigorous and ambitious attempts to deduce God’s existence from purely metaphysical theorems. As elucidated by its concise philosophical commentary, Thomas M. Ward's new translation of the Treatise on the First Principle puts a masterpiece of natural theology within reach of a new generation of English-reading students of philosophy.

"A very useful volume. The translation is clear, faithful, and eminently readable. The commentary hits exactly the right level. The writing is very clear; the difficulties are not shirked but instead carefully faced, and as an aid to study and comprehension of the text (which is a difficult one) it should be extremely valuable."
—Thomas Williams, Isabelle A. and Henry D. Martin Professor of Medieval Philosophy, Georgetown University

Aristotle's Dialectic fits seamlessly with the other volumes in the New Hackett Aristotle Series, enabling Anglophone readers to study these works in a way previously not possible. The Introduction describes the book that lies ahead, explaining what it is about, what it is trying to do, and how it goes about doing it. Sequentially numbered, cross-referenced endnotes provide the information most needed at each juncture, while a detailed Index indicates the places where focused discussion of key notions occurs.

"The Topics and the Sophistical Refutations are the workshop in which the argumentative armory of Aristotle's philosophy is forged. They are not an easy read, but for this very reason Reeve's masterly translation, which achieves fluidity without sacrificing rigor and lexical consistency, is a most essential tool."
—Paolo Fait, Tutorial Fellow in Classical Philosophy, New College, University of Oxford

Meaning Is Everywhere sketches a theory of meaning from the ground up—with potentially profound consequences. In a sweeping narrative that arcs from the origins of meaning through the emergence of present-day science and technology, Prashant Parikh offers a fresh perspective on some of the most significant challenges and opportunities of the contemporary world, including the promise of AI, relief from scarcity and polarization, and the possibility of at least partial utopias.

"Prashant Parikh is a leading researcher in the interdisciplinary study of meaning, with important contributions in philosophy, linguistics, game theory, and AI. In this remarkably original and wide-ranging book, he suggests potentially revolutionary applications of meaning and game theory to broadly human concerns. For intelligent and curious readers who want to understand the deep and surprisingly ubiquitous phenomenon of meaning, this book will be a wonderful introduction." —John Perry, Henry Waldgrave Stuart Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, Stanford University.

The second edition of C. D. C. Reeve's translation of Nicomachean Ethics features Bekker numbers in the margins as well as a significantly revised translation that combines accuracy, consistency, and readability and fits seamlessly with the other volumes in the series. Anglophone readers can now read Aristotle's works in a way previously not possible. Sequentially numbered, cross-referenced endnotes provide the information most needed at each juncture, while a detailed Index guides the reader to places where focused discussion of key notions occurs.

Though Descartes never wrote a book specifically devoted to moral philosophy, his thought on ethical matters can be found throughout his correspondence and in parts of his work Passions of the Soul. In 1685, an anonymous editor in London gathered these writings in a textbook devoted to Descartes’s ethical thought.

Roger Ariew has translated, from Descartes’s original French texts, those selections included in the 1685 volume, adding to those writings an Appendix of relevant materials, including Part III of the Discourse on Method on the provisional morals, a portion of the Preface to the French edition of the Principles of Philosophy on the “tree” of philosophy, and portions of additional letters that help to illuminate the background for the correspondence included in the 1685 volume.

In late 1633, as Descartes was preparing The World and Man for publication, he learned that Galileo had been condemned by the Catholic Church for defending the motion of the earth. His reaction to the news was swift and powerful: as his own treatises also espoused the proposition deemed heretical, he canceled their publication. More than thirty years after Descartes had begun his project, these works were finally published, posthumously, both to acclaim and to controversy. Together, they profoundly influenced the course of modern philosophy.

This new edition of Abortion: The Supreme Court Decisions includes all of the major Supreme Court decisions on abortion since the 1960s—as well as many majority, dissenting, and plurality opinions—carefully edited for use by researchers, journalists, and teachers in a variety of disciplines.

Immanuel  Kant’s  Groundwork  for  the  Metaphysics  of  Morals  is  widely  regarded  as  one of the most influential works in the history of moral philosophy. Indeed, any student of ethics will soon encounter a translation of the book, although trying to read it is likely to cause bewilderment. What, one may ask, is Kant trying to say? This book provides the answers. Here, seven highly regarded teachers and scholars of Kant’s ethics offer remarkably clear explanations of the most important concepts in  the  Groundwork:  the  good  will,  happiness,  duty,  hypothetical  and  categorical  imperatives, the Formula of Universal Law, the Formula of Humanity, and freedom.

“This is the rare guide to Kant’s Groundwork suitable even for students new to philosophy. The clear, concise chapters focus on only the most essential concepts from all three sections of the Groundwork. The authors expertly illuminate Kant’s ethical thought and facilitate engagement with the text.” —Lara Denis, Agnes Scott College

The third edition of Ivanhoe and Van Norden's acclaimed anthology builds on the strengths of previous editions with the addition of new selections for each chapter; selections from Shen Dao; a new translation of the writings of Han Feizi; selections from two texts, highly influential in later Chinese philosophy, the Great Learning and Mean; and a complete translation of the recently discovered text Nature Comes from the Mandate.

Each section of this volume begins with a brief Introduction and concludes with a lightly annotated Selective Bibliography. Also included are four appendices: Important Figures, Important Periods, Important Texts, and Important Terms.

ONLINE RESOURCES:

Title Support Page: Click here for additional online resources, including study questions, maps, readings, and more.

Sample Syllabus: Click here to download a sample syllabus from author Bryan Van Norden.

This new translation of On Coming to Be and Passing Away and Meteorology 1 and 4 fits seamlessly with the other volumes in the New Hackett Aristotle Series, enabling Anglophone readers to study these works in a way previously not possible. The Introduction describes the book that lies ahead, explaining what it is about, what it is trying to do, how it goes about doing it, and what sort of audience it presupposes. Sequentially numbered, cross-referenced endnotes provide the information most needed at each juncture, while a detailed Index indicates the places where focused discussion of key notions occurs.

"Reading Aristotle isn’t easy, and Reeve doesn’t pretend to make it so. But his uncluttered translation, extensive annotation, and supplementary materials go a long way toward lightening the burden; this is another gem to add to his very useful collection."
—Russell Dancy, Professor Emeritus, Florida State University

Bernard Bolzano’s (1781–1848) writings in aesthetics are clear, concise, and explicit about method. Provocative and revisionary, they champion broad views of beauty, the arts, and their social function. Dominic McIver Lopes’s introductory materials place Bolzano’s essays in context, give them a new interpretation, and map out how to teach them, in full or in part, in a variety of courses.

"In two eminently teachable essays—clear, controversial, methodologically acute—Bolzano recasts a broadly Kantian aesthetics, connecting beauty to intellectual achievement, education, and art practice. Immensely helpful guidance, for scholars and students, is provided by the editorial materials: translation notes, an elegant theoretical and contextual Introduction of Bolzano and the text, and a forcefully argued Appendix detailing Bolzano’s criticisms of Kant’s aesthetics."
—Rachel Zuckert, Northwestern University

Through a collection of works from key thinkers in natural philosophy, the second edition of The Scientific Background to Modern Philosophy illuminates the central role scientific writing played in developing modern philosophical thought. This revised and expanded edition includes many new translations and incorporates works by foundational eighteenth- and nineteenth-century thinkers not in the first edition, including selections from works by Jean-Baptiste, le Rond d’Alembert, Denis Diderot, Émilie Du Châtelet, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Joseph Priestley, Immanuel Kant, Carl Linnaeus, William Paley, and Charles Robert Darwin. These new additions provide students with a more comprehensive understanding of the scientific context in which the major philosophical works of the modern era were written and complement the selections from works by Nicolaus Copernicus, Francis Bacon, Galileo Galilei, René Descartes, Robert Boyle, Christiaan Huygens, and Isaac Newton that are retained from the first edition.

A shorter and less technical treatment of its subject than the author’s acclaimed Buddhism As Philosophy (second edition, Hackett, 2021), Mark Siderits's The Buddha’s Teachings As Philosophy explores three different systems of thought that arose from core claims of the Buddha. By detailing and critically examining key arguments made by the Buddha and developed by later Buddhist philosophers, Siderits investigates the Buddha's teachings as philosophy: a set of claims—in this case, claims about the nature of the world and our place in it—supported by rational argumentation and, here, developed with a variety of systematic results. The Buddha’s Teachings As Philosophy will be especially useful to students of philosophy, religious studies, and comparative religion—to anyone, in fact, encountering Buddhist philosophy for the first time.

"Even those already familiar with Aristotle may be surprised to learn that discussions of theological topics can be found in so many of his works. Reeve's idea of packaging these texts sequentially along with commentary and notes is brilliant. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in Aristotle's theology."
—S. Marc Cohen, Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, University of Washington

“Based on comprehensive knowledge of the Aristotelian corpus, Reeve’s book is a transformative addition to the literature.”
—David Sedley, Emeritus Laurence Professor of Ancient Philosophy, University of Cambridge

An expanded version of the translator’s Anselm: The Basic Writings, The Complete Treatises incorporates new translations of works omitted from that volume (most notably, De grammatico) in addition to selected letters and prayers of philosophical interest. The only such collection translated by a single hand and rendered with attention to terminological consistency across the treatises, it’s the ideal choice for use by students of philosophy and theology. 

Are we free or determined? Are things really the way they appear to be? What’s the difference between right and wrong? Can God’s existence be demonstrated? Discovering Philosophy looks at these and other fundamental questions that have bedeviled thinkers for centuries. Designed for students who are more comfortable with secondary than primary sources, Discovering Philosophy is both accessible and intellectually challenging. While it examines the ideas of traditional philosophers, it also considers perspectives that have historically been underrepresented (feminist philosophers and Native American thought), draws examples from popular culture, and considers cutting-edge philosophical questions raised by scientific discoveries (are dolphins nonhuman persons with rights?). Each chapter includes discussion questions, boxed highlights, and suggestions for further reading.

Instructor Resources: Click here to request the Instructor's Manual (PDF) and Test Bank with Answer Key (PDF or Word file).

"This is a superb new translation that is remarkably accurate to Plato's very difficult Greek, yet clear and highly readable. The notes are more helpful than those in any other available translation of the Laws since they contain both the information needed by the beginning student as well as analytical notes that include references to the secondary literature for the more advanced reader. For either the beginner or the scholar, this should be the preferred translation." —Christopher Bobonich, Clarence Irving Lewis Professor of Philosophy, Stanford University

"Indispensable turn-by-turn directions for those navigating the ideas of nine philosophers who set the stage for thinking about art and society. Clear and comprehensive, Noël Carroll is the perfect guide to the history of aesthetics." —Dominic McIver Lopes, University of British Columbia

"Carroll’s Classics in Western Philosophy of Art is a masterful series of commentaries on nine classical writings on art by philosophers in the Western tradition—learned and penetrating in exegesis, equally penetrating in critique. It’s not just one philosopher after another. Carroll takes note of what later writers say, explicitly or implicitly, about earlier writers, and imagines what those earlier writers might have said in response. He is host to a conversation. How I wish these commentaries had been available when I was still teaching philosophy of art! I would have been spared my own exegetical labors over these often-difficult texts, and my teaching would have been immeasurably improved."
—Nicholas Wolterstorff, Noah Porter Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology, Yale University

Applied Ethics: An Impartial Introduction prepares readers to evaluate selected classical and contemporary problems in applied ethics in a way that does justice to their complexity without sacrificing clarity or fairness of representation. Its balanced exposition and analysis, enhanced by helpful pedagogical features, make it an ideal book for introducing the ethics of real-life problems including abortion, animal rights, disability, the environment, poverty, and punishment.

"Jackson, Goldschmidt, Crummett, and Chan are experienced teachers with a multitude of insights on the problems they explain in this splendid introduction to applied ethics. It is selective in focus but comprehensive in coverage; it is philosophically rigorous but remarkably clear in presentation; and each of the six sections is substantive enough for a good part of a course while the whole could occupy a full term. The book is an excellent choice as a main introductory text in applied ethics but so well laid out and referenced as to be a resource for students working in this field at any level. It has the clarity and concreteness needed for an introduction and the thoroughness needed in a higher-level study of the moral problems it explores." —Robert Audi, John A. O’Brien Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame

Series: The New Hackett Aristotle

This new translation of Aristotle's Eudemian Ethics, noteworthy for its consistency and accuracy, is the latest addition to the New Hackett Aristotle series. Fitting seamlessly with the others in the series, it enables Anglophone readers to read Aristotle’s works in a way previously impossible. Sequentially numbered endnotes provide the information most needed at each juncture, while a detailed Index of Terms guides the reader to places where focused discussion of key notions occurs.

"David Reeve’s translation of Aristotle’s Eudemian Ethics is certain to become an indispensable tool for anyone who is interested in studying this great text, that paired with the Nicomachean Ethics, exposes Aristotle’s ethical theory. The translation is not only faithful to the Greek text but it also reproduces masterfully the rhythm of Aristotle’s prose. Together with its thoughtful Introduction, copious notes, and temperance when coping with textual problems, Reeve’s edition is a remarkable contribution to Aristotelian studies." —Pavlos Kontos, University of Patras, Greece

"An excellent and engaging introduction to epistemology, with a special focus on issues in social epistemology that are very relevant in today’s world. An accessible guide to practical epistemological questions about which experts you should trust, the pervasiveness of bias in oneself and others, the proliferation of misinformation on the internet, and how you should respond when lots of people disagree with you. Highly recommended." —James Beebee, State University of New York at Buffalo

"How Do You Know? is an accessible and engaging foray into the growing field of applied epistemology, and a welcome resource for students or anyone else coming to these issues for the first time." —David Coady, University of Tasmania

"In his introduction to this most welcome republication (and second edition) of his logic text, Heil clarifies his aim in writing and revising this book: 'I believe that anyone unfamiliar with the subject who set out to learn formal logic could do so relying solely on [this] book. That, in any case, is what I set out to create in writing An Introduction to First-Order Logic.' Heil has certainly accomplished this with perhaps the most explanatorily thorough and pedagogically rich text I’ve personally come across.     "Heil's text stands out as being remarkably careful in its presentation and illuminating in its explanations—especially given its relatively short length when compared to the average logic textbook. It hits all of the necessary material that must be covered in an introductory deductive logic course, and then some. It also takes occasional excursions into side topics, successfully whetting the reader’s appetite for more advanced studies in logic. The book is clearly written by an expert who has put in the effort for his readers, bothering at every step to see the point and then explain it clearly to his readers. Heil has found some very clever, original ways to introduce, motivate, and otherwise teach this material. The author's own special expertise and perspective—especially when it comes to tying philosophy of mind, linguistics, and philosophy of language into the lessons of logic—make for a creative and fresh take on basic logic. With its unique presentation and illuminating explanations, this book comes about as close as a text can come to imitating the learning environment of an actual classroom. Indeed, working through its presentations carefully, the reader feels as though he or she has just attended an illuminating lecture on the relevant topics!" —Jonah Schupbach, University of Utah 

Answer Key: Solutions to the even-numbered problems are included in the book. A PDF with solutions for all of the problems is available to instructors only, click here to request the solutions PDF.

In Buddhism As Philosophy, Mark Siderits makes the Buddhist philosophical tradition accessible to a Western audience. Offering generous selections from the canonical Buddhist texts and providing  an engaging, analytical introduction to the fundamental tenets of Buddhist thought, this revised, expanded, and updated edition builds on the success of the first edition in clarifying the basic concepts and arguments of the Buddhist philosophers.

"Since the publication of the first edition of Buddhism As Philosophy, the need for such a book has only grown as even more undergraduate programs are teaching Buddhist philosophy and looking for accessible materials that still do justice to the tradition’s intellectual complexity. This updated version retains the first version's successful balancing act between fidelity to primary source material and application to general philosophical problems. The book teaches students how to do philosophy at the same time as it teaches them the particularities of Buddhist philosophy. Siderits moves fluidly from translations of primary texts to their explication and evaluation, both modeling expert philosophical methodology and pausing to explain to students how philosophical argumentation works." —Malcolm Keating, Yale-NUS College

“As one would expect from the team of Brann, Kalkavage and Salem, their edition of Plato's Meno is a fine one. The translation meets their stated goal of remaining 'as faithful as possible to the Greek, while using lively, colloquial English.' Their notes are consistently helpful and will be particularly useful to those readers willing to explore the nuances of Plato's extraordinary prose. Their introduction is clear and compact, and it highlights the most philosophically important themes of the dialogue. One particularly useful feature of this edition is the manner in which it displays the diagrams Socrates draws in order to illustrate his famous 'square within a square.' Instead of relegating them to the notes, it integrates them into the text of the dialogue itself. Readers are able to follow along, and 'watch' Socrates actually construct them." —David Roochnik, Boston University

"This trio from St. John’s has produced the most high-fidelity English translation of the Meno available. The Introduction offers a no-nonsense summary of the dialogue, and ample footnotes alert the reader to important Greek terms, while also situating significant claims in their historical context as well as in the context of Plato’s larger corpus. The Glossary helpfully places the focus on core philosophical concepts, and the Select Bibliography makes for a manageable introduction to some of the standard scholarship. This volume is an all-around success." —Charles Ives, University of Washington

Series: Early Modern and Modern Women Philosophers

"Margaret Cavendish (1623–1673) is a fascinating figure who is getting increasing attention by historians of philosophy these days, and for good reason. . . . She’s an interesting advocate of a vitalist tradition emphasizing the inherent activity of matter, as well as its inherent perceptive faculties. She’s also the perfect character to open students (and their teachers) up to a different seventeenth century, and a different cast of philosophical characters. This is an ideal book to use in the classroom. The Philosophical Letters (1664) gives us Cavendish’s view of what was interesting and important in the philosophical world at that moment, a view of philosophy as it was at the time by an engaged participant. There are few documents like it in the history of philosophy. Deborah Boyle’s Introduction provides a very accessible summary of Cavendish’s natural philosophy, as well as good introductions to the other figures that Cavendish discusses in the book. Boyle’s annotations are not extensive, but they are a great help in guiding the student toward an informed reading of the texts." —Daniel Garber, Princeton University

"Students and scholars should welcome this outstanding translation and commentary. Offering core passages of Nyāya and Vedānta in accessible English will expand the horizon of contemporary philosophy of religion and make more evident the often-overlooked elements of natural theology in non-Western philosophy." —Charles Taliaferro, Overby Distinguished Chair, St. Olaf College

"Building on a long tradition of textual study, an increasing number of universities today demonstrate interest in Asian perspectives on philosophy, religion, theology, politics, and other disciplines—even for general education. This book offers a welcome and a needed addition to teachers and students that want to learn about Asia through a careful reading of primary source material. It covers some broad topics recognizable in the philosophy of religion, and it gives precision through the presentation of specific texts from the Indian tradition. This book offers a clear picture into the scholastic and commentarial writing from two monuments in the Indian tradition, Shakara and Vacaspati. The discussion around the primary source material offers helpful contextualization, and the primary readings introduce students to a complex and a detailed world of philosophy, theology, and the unique modes of commentarial writing in Shankara, Vacaspati, and related theologians, philosophers, and root texts of their time." —Jonathan Edelmann, Department of Religion, University of Florida

A comprehensive introduction to formal logic, Logic and Philosophy: A Modern Introduction is a rigorous yet accessible text, appropriate for students encountering the subject for the first time. Abundant, carefully crafted exercise sets accompanied by a clear, engaging exposition build to an exploration of sentential logic, first-order predicate logic, the theory of descriptions, identity, relations, set theory, modal logic, and Aristotelian logic. And as its title suggests, Logic and Philosophy is devoted not only to logic but also to the philosophical debates that led to the development of the field.

Download the Table of Contents (PDF)

Much new material has been added for the 13th edition. An introduction to set theory and its relationship to logic and mathematics, including philosophical issues, is now part of Chapter 13. Chapter 15 is an introduction to modal logic and Kripke semantics, concluding with a discussion of philosophical problems with any logical accommodation of modalities. Instructors who do not wish to present proof methods will find chapters on truth trees for both sentential and first-order logic, and a presentation of trees for modal logic.
 
Special features of this text include presentations of the history of logic, alternatives to traditional methods of conditional and indirect proof, and a discussion of semantic problems with universal and existential instantiations. Throughout, the authors are sensitive to philosophical issues that arise from the relationship between ordinary language, symbolic logic, and justifications for the syntax and semantics of the various symbolic languages. Discussions range from the justification of the truth table for the sentential rendering of if . . . then statements to semantic and syntactic paradoxes, including some troubling paradoxes that arise in ordinary language (e.g., the so-called hangman or surprise quiz paradox). Answers to the even-numbered exercises are included in the back of the book.

Logic and Philosophy includes ample material for a one-semester or two-semester course and provides a thorough preparation for more advanced logic courses.

Environmental Ethics provides an accessible, lively, and up-to-date introduction to the central issues and controversies in environmental ethics. Requiring no previous knowledge of philosophy or ethical theory, the book will be of interest to students, environmental scientists, environmental policy makers, and anyone curious to know what philosophers are saying today about the urgent environmental challenges we face. 

Instructor Resources: Click here to download PowerPoint lecture slides and to request Environmental Ethics test banks with answer keys.

 Ebook edition now available from: Amazon Kindle, GooglePlay, eBooks.com, RedShelf, VitalSource.

The Plotinus Reader provides a generous selection of translations from the fifty-four treatises that together make up the Enneads of Plotinus, a central work in the history of philosophy. They were prepared by a team of specialists in ancient philosophy and edited by Lloyd P. Gerson. Based on the definitive critical edition of the Greek along with decades of additional textual criticism by many scholars, these translations aim to provide a readable, accurate rendering of Plotinus’s often very difficult language. Included are extensive references to Plotinus’s sources, scores of cross-references, and an extensive glossary of technical terms.

Series: The New Hackett Aristotle

"The De Caelo can be quite difficult for a first-time reader. C. D. C. Reeve's fluid and accurate translation, along with his superb Introduction and 560 endnotes (in effect functioning as a commentary), are bound to make this work much more accessible, while at the same time being a highly useful tool for seasoned Aristotle scholars." —Robert Mayhew, Professor of Philosophy, Seton Hall University

"Reeve's lucid and accurate translation of this difficult work will be of great value both to historians of philosophy and to philosophers interested in the topics Aristotle addresses for their own sake. The generous Introduction and notes provide the reader without Greek with full access to Aristotle's thinking." —William Charlton, author of many works on Aristotle's philosophy of nature and contributor of five volumes to the Ancient Commentators on Aristotle series

Since its publication in 1996, many thousands of students have first encountered key issues in the philosophy of mind in the pages of Rocco J. Gennaro's introductory work, Mind and Brain: A Dialogue on the Mind-Body Problem. In this new edition, Gennaro updates and expands the work to reflect current topics and discussions. The dialogue provides a clear and compelling overview of the mind-body problem suitable for both introductory students and those who have some background in the philosophy of mind.

Brook Ziporyn's carefully crafted, richly annotated translation of the complete writings of Zhuangzi—including a lucid Introduction, a Glossary of Essential Terms, and a Bibliography—provides readers with an engaging and provocative deep dive into this magical work.

"The importance of Ziporyn's translation of the complete Zhuangzi lies in its much-needed hermeneutic approach, which is attuned to the text’s multivocal structure and its resistance to interpretive closure. With its carefully crafted supporting material that provides context for various debates, addresses philological matters, and explains different possibilities of translation, Ziporyn's Zhuangzi is not only uncompromisingly rigorous but also accessible to students of early Chinese philosophy and literature. At the same time, in tune with the moods and quirks of this idiosyncratic classic, Ziporyn's aptly playful English renderings bring out the humorous and provocative tone of the text, making this book an utterly absorbing read. Ziporyn’s previous, abridged translation, Zhuangzi: The Essential Writings, presented with selected commentaries on the 'Inner Chapters,' has already replaced its predecessors and proved to be an indispensable resource for students and scholars alike. This new and unabbreviated translation will surely earn its place in no time as the authoritative translation of the complete Zhuangzi." —Sonya Özbey, University of Michigan

"Thinking Through Questions can be put to many good uses in the classroom. Weston and Bloch-Schulman have done an admirable job of creating a text which embodies a novel approach to the numerous pedagogical situations instructors might find themselves in across the academy, especially in humanities courses and any course centered on critical reasoning and writing." —Michael Gifford, Arizona State University, in Teaching Philosophy

"This small book holds big value for teachers of philosophy and teachers of critical thinking in any discipline. If you want your students to be more 'curious, critical, exploratory, and creative,' this book will serve well as a supplementary or core text. It offers appreciation for the power of questioning, opportunities to identify types of questions, and practice in questioning skills. The authors, both recognized as master teachers, bring their own considerable pedagogical experience and engaging style to encouraging better questioning in all of us." —Donna Engelmann, Alverno College

"Highly accessible, Thinking Through Questions guides students to greater freedom regarding how, why, when, and when not to ask or answer critical, expansive, and philosophical questions. It is an especially good choice for courses where critical thinking figures prominently, both because of its content and because of the practice exercises it contains. But more fundamentally, this book leaves readers more able to resist coercive questions, reconfigure false dilemmas, question more creatively, and diagnose embedded philosophical and other assumptions. It teaches how to profitably answer questions, do valuable things with questions other than answer them, ask better questions, and liberate oneself from cognitive traps many questions set." —David Concepción, Professor of Philosophy, Ball State University

Title support webpage: A title support page is available here for students and instructors who would like to submit comments directly to the authors about the book, and for students who would like to submit drawings completed for the exercise in chapter 4, page 74, to the authors. Submitted drawings will be considered for posting on the Thinking Through Questions website.

"C.D.C. Reeve's annotated translation of Aristotle’s Generation of Animals provides novices and experts alike a much-needed modern and readable, yet accurate and technically rigorous, entry to this difficult text. By printing it together with translations of the methodologically prior works, History of Animals I and Parts of Animals I, readers now have access to what are arguably Aristotle's philosophically richest biological texts. The Introduction helpfully situates the project of Aristotle's biology into its metaphysical and (natural) scientific context, but it also does much more. It offers a panoramic, illuminating, and characteristically provocative interpretative picture of Aristotle’s philosophical endeavors as a whole—one that demands to be assessed in its entirety, and that is supported by a wealth of references to, and quotations from, mostly Aristotle himself. The book provides an invaluable resource for anyone trying to understand Aristotle’s fascination with living nature." —Mariska Leunissen, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill